Dead or Alive
by RitaRitaMargarita
Summary: All Sookie wanted was a break from the supernatural. Then a certain vampire needs some saving and Sookie is the only one for the job. Forced to team up with some unwelcome help, Sookie begins to wonder if she’ll ever be able to save herself.
1. Missing

It was a rainy Tuesday when Pam sauntered into Merlotte's and again launched my temporarily normal life back into chaos. She was dressed in her usual garb; her pale flesh glowed beneath a coral sweater and jeans hugged her curves elegantly. She looked like a typical soccer mom from a wealthy suburban community. I knew better.

She nodded to me as she gracefully lowered herself into a booth in my station. Reluctantly, I headed over. Some sixth sense told me trouble was ahead. Or maybe it wasn't a sixth sense - I just _knew_ whenever a vampire was around that it couldn't be good news for me.

"Hey, Pam," I greeted, grinning so much it hurt. "Will it be A negative or O positive tonight?" So I was evading. Sue me.

She didn't smile back at me but I wasn't alarmed. Vampires rarely smiled, unless faced with lust. Of any kind. My attitude changed, however, when she grasped my wrist lightly.

"Sit, Sookie."

"I'm working," I said indignantly, stating the obvious.

Pam cast a glance around the nearly vacant bar and quirked an eyebrow at me. "I believe the sparse mortal crowd can spare you for a moment or two." My mouth opened but she interrupted. "It's important." Her tone left no room for argument and I had to admit that I was genuinely curious.

"Spill," I muttered as I plopped into the seat across from her.

Again Pam scanned the room - almost nervously, I noted. It seemed like she was expecting someone to pop out at any moment with a stake aimed at her chest. This couldn't be good.

Without looking at me, Pam finally got to the point. "Eric's missing."

I blinked at her. "Missing how?"

Her eyes met mine and her expression read "don't fuck with me right now". I gulped and nodded slowly.

"Since when?"

"A week and a half ago."

Sam passed by us, failing to casually get a read on the situation.

"Your shifter is irritating me."

"Who do you think has him?" I asked, changing the subject. Horror crept down my spine as I mulled over the possibilities. "Victor?"

Pam's mouth tightened in a firm line. "That's the likeliest possibility. I'm inclined, however, to believe it's someone else."

My eyebrows shot up. "Who, then?"

"I don't know," Pam answered in a small voice. She looked as distressed as a vampire could look. It frightened me. "I _do_ think that he's still alive. I can feel him. And if I were to guess at his possible location, I would say it would have to be New York."

"New York?" I repeated stupidly. I wasn't aware that Eric had gone anywhere. "What was he doing in New York?"

"Business," Pam responded, purposefully vague. "Which brings me to you."

I nodded, silently encouraging her to go on despite wishing she would go away and bother someone else with this. I knew inherently that this escapade would end me up in a hospital somewhere with yet another black eye. Still, I found myself legitimately worried over Eric's welfare.

I began to wonder what "business" had to do with me, as her terminology impied, when Pam again started speaking.

"I cannot leave Shreveport. Someone must hold down the fort," Pam explained with a small, artificial smile. The expression sounded stale from her. "It is my belief that humans, or supes, have Eric hostage. Therefore you being the one to retrieve him would be most beneficial. I will provide you with the necessary details and the possible locations in New York. Someone will accompany you to guard you." She sounded as though she didn't doubt my participation.

Sam passed by again, this time not even bothering to hide his stare. Pam glared at him, shocking him back to reality, and he scurried away back behind the bar.

I fidgeted in the booth, highly aware of Pam's gaze. "I don't think I can go away right now."

I risked a peek at Pam's face and saw that it was contorted with anger. I rarely had seen a vampire show so much emotion before, if ever.

"Sookie Stackhouse. For the first time I've met you, I'm utterly disgusted with you. Eric has put his existence on the line for you, time and again. He has risked the ire of many a powerful vampire just to secure your safety. Now, when he needs you most, you will turn your back on him? That would be highly unforgivable, Sookie, and absolutely revolting." She sighed and shook her head. "You are blood-bound. Or have you forgotten?"

Her words shamed me and I knew she was right. What would Gran say? It didn't escape my notice that so many words from a vampire, said with such feeling, was incredibly significant. Without a second thought, I uttered the words that would undoubtedly seal my fate. "I'll do it."

She smiled, then – a very creepy smile. "Thank you, Sookie. I knew you'd come around." I shivered at what Pam would have done to me had I continued to refuse.

I was startled once more. Vampires never thanked humans, even me. With a weary sigh, Pam eased out of the booth and smiled at me again. "You will be compensated for the wages you'll lose."

I shook my head. "I don't want to be. It's okay." It wasn't okay, but for some odd reason I didn't want to be paid.

She eyed me over and then grinned. It wasn't a happy grin. It was more like grim, reluctant amusement. "You're really worried about him."

"Aren't you?" I shot back, at a loss for any other words.

The smile faded. "More than you know. He is my master. Without him, I'll be lost." Pam shook her head, effectively ending her sentimental stupor. "I will be in touch with all the information."

I was completely blown over by her confession. It had never truly hit me how close Pam was to Eric. When he'd lost his memories all those months ago, Pam had smoothly and effectively taken over the reins at Fangtasia. Perhaps it was that she was confident then, or that she had at least put up a front of being confident, that allowed Pam to go on. Or, it could have been that though Eric was useless and had no idea who he was, he was still there physically. There was a good chance they would catch Hallow, the witch who'd cast the spell on him in the first place. The situation now was entirely different; even though Pam had barely given me any details, I knew the entire thing was pretty hopeless. Maybe Eric wasn't dead – again – but he was very likely to be. Soon. My heart ached for her and yearned for Eric. Briefly I wondered if that was because of the blood-bond, but I put the thought out of my head. It wouldn't do to think of things like that at the moment. I could think about it tomorrow, or next week. Or never. For now, my only preoccupation would be to find Eric… alive.

Well… as alive as he could ever possibly be.

**- - - - - -**

It was very dark when I finally pulled into my gravelly driveway. I was completely distracted, thinking over my agreement with Pam. For a while I was angry with myself that I was so easily cowed into doing whatever the vampires asked of me. Then I realized how selfish I was being. What Pam said was right on the money and I owed this to Eric, no matter how dangerous the consequences could be.

My mind had gone crazy when Pam finally left the bar and I was grateful when the bar crowd picked up. I screwed up so many orders as I pondered over who could have possibly taken Eric. Pam said he was in New York doing business. Was it business for Victor? Or was Eric conspiring against him? Pam seemed to think that whoever had him was not vampire. I wondered what made her think that and if she'd ever explain her reasoning to me. I didn't think it was likely.

My thoughts were so far removed from the present that I let out a bloodcurdling scream when someone opened the car door for me.

"Sookie," a familiar cold voice whispered.

A new round of anxiety formed in my stomach. Bill Compton and I hadn't seen much of each other lately, ever since he once again declared his affection for me in my backyard. I cast him a withering glance as I clumsily fumbled out of my car.

"What's up?" I asked in a flat voice. Though his amorous words had flowed to my heart like warm honey, I wasn't completely thrilled at the sight of him. I figured many people couldn't blame me, considering the circumstances. Bill had lied to me, used me, left me, and maimed my heart. Why should I be happy to see him? And what the hell was he doing here in the first place?

Then it dawned on me that he probably knew about Eric and either wanted to inform me, thinking I was ignorant of Eric's disappearance, or give me more information on the enigmatic topic.

"Pam told me that she came to see you tonight."

I nodded. "Yes, I know all about Eric."

He hesitated and ran a hand through his hair that looked peculiarly untidy this evening. "You've agreed to her proposal."

It wasn't a question. "Yes."

I regarded him curiously as he walked beside me on my way to the front porch. I was silent, knowing he had more to say. He always waited for me to articulate my thoughts; I figured the same courtesy was due him. While we walked, I let the blissful absence of his thoughts comfort and relax me.

"Do you think that's wise?"

My muscles tensed up again at his tone. "Do I have any other choice? You of all people know that I don't." I was tired and I was annoyed. My day had started off pleasantly boring enough and now I was once again in the throes of vampire politics and mystique. To top everything, my first love (my first everything) was standing beside me with beseeching eyes.

Why couldn't they just leave me alone? I seemed to bring them almost as much trouble as they brought me, anyway.

"You're angry with me."

"Aren't I always?" I asked with a tired smile so he knew I wasn't totally pissed off with _him_. I wasn't being completely fair. Then I thought about him, tangled up with Lorena and Selah in silk sheets and my smile faded.

"May I come in?" he asked politely when my hand reached for the doorknob.

"You think that's wise?" I knew it was petty of me to shoot back his words at him but my temper was still short.

Bill looked taken aback. "I need to talk with you."

"What for?" I asked petulantly. If there was every possibility I could die in a few days time, I wanted to make the most of it. A carton of Rocky Road ice cream was screaming my name from the freezer and I knew there was a showing of _An Affair to Remember_ on Lifetime.

Bill looked flabbergasted but I was too drained to find it amusing. "Didn't Pam tell you? I have been assigned to be your escort."

Apparently I _wasn't_ too tired to let out a maniacal cackle. "What?"

"There wasn't anyone else Pam could trust and she seemed to think you'd be most comfortable with me. Normally I would turn right back around and tell her to find someone else, as you seem to be quite displeased, but there really _is_ no one else." Bill was watching me with both a concerned and cautious stare. He probably thought I'd finally lost it. Maybe I had. It certainly felt that the events suddenly happening in my life were cracking at my painfully crafted façade.

"Then I guess we're going to the Big Apple."

Bill's beautiful lips stretched into a hesitant smile. "It would appear that way." I tried to ignore the hopeful spark in his dark eyes.

Bill, my ex-boyfriend who I had so badly tried to "abjure" in the past, was accompanying me to New York to retrieve my other past flame (if you could even consider him that). We would have to share a hotel room together, probably. He'd likely lay the moves on me again, and given my weakened mental state, there was a good chance that I'd succumb.

Great.

Where the _hell_ was that Rocky Road?


	2. Death Row

Thank you for your reviews. They certainly cheer me up and inspire me. This chapter probably needed a bit more polishing, but I wanted to get it out.

Happy Valentine's Day!

* * *

My bags were packed and I was ready to go. Bill, however, was running late. Vampires were never, ever late.

I found myself pacing through the house, cleaning off non-existent dust from the furniture and worrying myself sick about Bill. If something or someone had detained him, he surely would have called me. For a moment I toyed with the idea of running over to his place but if some nefarious (my word of the day) villain was over there I'd have no chance. There was nothing I could do but wait.

My hand was reaching for the doorknob anyway when the phone rang.

"Hello," I answered breathlessly.

"Sookie." It was Pam.

"Bill's not here," I stated in a slightly panicked voice.

"He only just left Fangtasia. I had to give him his orders."

I let out a big breath and my worry turned into irritation. "No one could have told me that? I assumed he'd be here at dusk."

"You assumed wrong," Pam said breezily, like I told her I thought it was going to be 60 degrees instead of 50. "Anyway, I'm calling you now to tell you he's on his way. Good luck."

With that she hung up, leaving me staring at the phone with irritation and bemusement. For a moment I considered calling her back up to express my displeasure about the whole arrangment but I thought better of it.

A few minutes later I heard a knock on the door and sure enough it was Bill, who at least at the decency to look a little sheepish. I hadn't even said a word, and I thought I had managed to keep a lid on my expressions, but nonetheless he saw through me.

"I should have called. I just didn't realize how long Pam was planning to keep me."

I sighed and picked up one of my bags. "Whatever, let's just get going."

Bill stared at me for a moment before nodding and reaching to grab the other bags.

After a completely silent drive, we were at the airport. I glanced at my watch and saw it was nearly dawn. We walked inside and then Bill and I went off in our separate ways without a word; he went to crawl into his safe coffin and I went to wait at the bar. Flying wasn't exactly my favorite thing to do and I hadn't really gotten any used to it. A drink or two would certainly help to relax me a bit.

I originally thought the time would inch on slowly but I was totally taken by surprise when the flight was called. The woman who took my ticket as I boarded the plane was definitely a vampire and it still amused me to no end that no one else seemed to realize this. She eyed me when I got up to her, almost like she knew that I saw her for what she was, and then pasted on a cheerful smile and wished me a pleasant flight.

A half-hour later I was passed out on my way to New York, the city that never sleeps.

I found that incredibly ironic.

* * *

Pam had set us up in nice hotel, the nicest hotel I'd been in so far without a doubt. Bill's room was up a floor in one of the vampire rooms and it would be hours and hours until he woke up.

I paced around for a bit and then decided I should sleep for a bit to kill time. Whenever I woke up I could do a little sight-seeing. Despite the unpleasant task and the unwanted, foreign, and dangerous feelings of concern, concern for _Eric _of all "people", I felt a slight bit of excitement over being in such a famous, lively city.

Sleep came easily and when I finally woke up, it was one o'clock. I figured I had at least five or six hours to spend about time and immediately I began compiling a list of things I wanted to see as I showered. My foot was literally out the door when the phone rang shrilly, scaring me half out of my mind.

I ran over, wondering who could be calling me here. No one but Pam knew my location, surely.

"Hello?" I answered breathlessly.

"You are to meet me at Rose's Café at exactly 2:30." The voice was male, gruff and unfamiliar.

"Who is this?" I demanded. My heart was thumping; it almost felt like it was making my whole body pulsate with the ferocity of its beating.

"You'll soon find out."

And then he hung up.

I caught my expression in the mirror across the room. "Well that's just fabulous," I said to myself.

I had no choice but to go, of course. I asked the front desk where Rose's Café was and they gave me directions. I left a note for Bill there in case I wasn't back by the time he got up. The thought I might not ever be back at all crossed my mind but I banished any negativity from my thoughts as best I could. It wouldn't help anyone if I were to lose it now.

So I took the subway and got to the café at 2:15. I sat down at a table in the corner and pretended to look at my menu. A funny-looking waitress took my order and hurried back with a piping hot cup of coffee. All the while I kept my eyes focused on the door, waiting for someone bizarre to walk in.

Then, at exactly 2:30, a tall lanky man slithered in, his eyes already on me. I knew immediately this was the man I was supposed to meet. He nodded at me and seemed to be appraising me as he walked across the room. Finally he made it to the table and awkwardly stood next to the chair across me with a quirked eyebrow. It dawned on me that he was waiting for my permission to sit down and I was completely confused. Not entirely sure what to do, I just nodded at him and watched in amazement as he plopped down.

"Sookie Stackhouse."

It wasn't a question or a statement and I wasn't even positive that it was a greeting. Really, it almost seemed like he was saying it to himself, like he was mentally checking something off in his head or confirming that he had found me.

"My name is Lincoln."

I blinked at him and waited for him to say something, anything, to do with Eric. The waitress fluttered over again and asked Lincoln if he wanted anything, but he merely waved his hand in dismissal and continued to stare at me. My mind reached out to his but I was met with a blank wall, not as impermeable as the minds of vampires but just as unreadable. He knew my power and was blocking me. He was either a very powerful supe or a well-informed human.

I couldn't take the strange, hollow silence anymore. "What do you want?" I was proud of myself for sounding so calm.

"Why do you assume I _want_ something?"

"Well… don't you?" I took a sip of coffee so I wouldn't scream. Whether it would be a scream of fear or frustration, I couldn't tell.

He smiled condescendingly at me and beckoned the waitress over again. "I've changed my mind. A coffee, please."

The waitress looked all too thrilled to run away.

"There should be a million other questions, better questions, you have to ask instead of something as pedestrian as 'what do you want'?"

I was seriously getting tired of his game. "Excuse me for not asking the questions _you _want me to."

His brown eyes shone with blatant amusement as the waitress reappeared to slowly place the coffee before him before once again running off. "You're feisty, aren't you?"

"So I've been told. Can we get to the point?"

An eyebrow arched. "Straightforward, too, I see." He poured some milk into his coffee and then took forever to open up one sugar packet. I could hear my teeth grinding together but forced myself to maintain a calm expression. "It's simple, really. We want ownership of Fangtasia."

Well, that certainly wasn't what I was expecting. "Huh?" I brilliantly asked.

He smiled at me again, patiently this time. "I'm in business with many vampires and others like myself. It would be a very wise business move for us to take over Fangtasia."

"What makes you think _Eric_ would ever give it up to _you_?"

"Oh, we were pretty confident." Lincoln's face twisted into a menacing sneer. "He came to meet us here, after all."

"Did he know your intentions before he came up here?"

"Of course, but we were blackmailing him. Once he arrived he flatly stated that nothing could sway him to hand over the bar. So we took matters into our own hands, which brought you here… I couldn't have planned it better myself."

My head hurt over the flood of seemingly unconnected nonsense that had spewed from Lincoln's mouth. What was he talking about?

"Really, Sookie, I thought you were smarter than this. What I'm really talking about here is _you_."

My horrified eyes met his when I realized he'd just read my thoughts.

I was definitely in deep this time.

"You are our bargaining chip."

I scanned his face, lingering on his piercing eyes, to determine whether or not he was pulling my chain. The fierceness and determination in his expression assured me that his words were honest.

I had unknowingly walked into my own death sentence.

* * *

Well?


	3. Danger

I sat there staring dumbly at Lincoln for who knows how long. A numbing coldness settled in my chest and chills climbed up and down my back, telltale signs of my horror and dread. There was no getting out of this, and there was no one to protect me.

Bill was back in the hotel, sound asleep for the next four or more hours. Eric was probably bound in silver, trapped in some horrible place I didn't even want to imagine… if he was still existent, that is. I was alone, sitting across from some supe who I still didn't have a handle on, and facing death for what felt like the millionth time.

Lincoln stared back at me as his finger ran around the rim of his coffee cup. He was definitely listening to my thoughts, but his facial expression gave me no clues as to what he thought about them. His mind was still frustratingly unreadable to me.

After what felt like an eternity, he smiled. "I'm not going to kill you in the middle of a coffee shop, you know. You can stop looking around frantically like a cornered mouse."

"Aren't I?" I countered back unthinkingly.

He threw his head back and let out a hearty chuckle. "Oh, Sookie… Something tells me that you could _never_ be a cornered mouse."

"Eric will never give up that bar," I stated. Fangtasia was Eric's livelihood. He wouldn't just _hand _it over without a fight.

Lincoln nodded along with my thoughts. "I don't doubt that."

We were silent again. I had to know, however, what our next move was. How much longer did I have to live? "What's next?"

"We'll leave here soon, then do a thing or two. By the time we're finished, your other vampire should be waking up." Lincoln grinned. "Obviously we'll have to take care of him."

I fought back the nausea and decided to keep asking questions. "What about all of his employees? His vampires? They'll never be loyal to you."

"Oh, they'll play along," he replied with a lightheartedness that disturbed me. His smile faded. "If they wish to live, that is. They _can_ be replaced. Fangtasia is too important for us to worry about something like that. Of course it would be must easier for all involved if Eric would cooperate. This is why we're attempting it from this angle." He grinned at me.

"Eric doesn't… love me or anything like that. Anything you do to me won't change his mind."

Lincoln shook his head. "Just you wait."

X

I was shaking as Lincoln and I made our way through the hotel lobby. He hadn't said much since we left the café and I was beginning to wonder if that was a good or bad thing. He had taken me on some errands with him, though I spent most of my time handcuffed to his steering wheel. By the time we made our way over to the hotel elevator, it was twilight. I imagined Bill was just about stirring in his coffin upstairs.

The elevator's ding never seemed so loud, the dropping sensation of its ascendance so disorienting. Once we reached Bill's floor, Lincoln pushed me out of the elevator as gently as he could, as my feet were apparently no longer receiving messages from my brain. There's only so much shock and fear one brain can take.

Suddenly we stood outside Bill's door. I stood there in a daze, imagining different ways of getting out of this and knowing it was all futile. Lincoln raised an eyebrow and I hesitantly knocked. We stood there for a few moments until I knocked again, this time a bit firmer. Maybe he hadn't gotten out of his coffin yet.

A few long seconds passed and then Lincoln raised his own hand to knock, this time outright banging on the door. There was no response.

Apparently my brain could still handle panic and fear. My body was trembling so hard that my teeth were chattering.

Was he already dead? Had one of Lincoln's associates, or whatever he wanted to call them, beaten him to it? Or had he escaped? Had he sensed the danger?

I reached out to see if I could pick up on the mental hole I get whenever a vampire is present, but I quickly realized no one was in the room. My breaths came out faster as Lincoln looked over at me, picking up on the realization that Bill was not in the bedroom. His reaction told me that they hadn't sent anyone to kill him, at least that he knew of. Maybe there was still hope.

For the first time in a long, long time, I longed for Bill in a way that made everything ache.

_Bill. Where are you?_

My questions were answered a few moments later when a sickening crunch pulled me out of my thoughts. Lincoln was now lying unconscious on the faded hallway carpet. I spun around and came face to face with a frighteningly calm-looking Bill.

Weakly and unthinkingly I fell into his arms and sobbed hysterically. I had faced a lot in my life, but I hadn't been this scared in awhile.

Bill dragged me inside before running to pull in Lincoln, too. All _I _could do was sit on Bill's unnecessary bed in the darkness and cry and cry.

We were silent for a long time until the shock of what had happened wore off. "How did you know?" I asked him.

"I didn't," Bill responded grimly, "but then I went to your room and down to the front desk when I couldn't find you. It seemed curious to me, but I still wasn't alarmed… Then I saw the two of you outside my door… and your face… and I knew."

I took a moment to appreciate how incredibly lucky I was. "They want Fangtasia."

Bill didn't answer.

"He didn't give me any kind of clue as to where they've got Eric, though I guess now we can use him to find him. If he's still alive, that is." I blew out a big puff of air. "I think he was intending on killing you."

"I would imagine so."

"I'm so glad you were here," I said quietly, the tears still rolling down my cheeks evident in my voice. We both heard the words I didn't say: _I'm so glad you're okay._

Bill sat beside me on the bed and stroked my hair. "Me, too."

His touch felt good. Too good.

"We have to get out of here and find Eric."

I stumbled up and away from him. Bill's face was expressionless as he followed me.

"What should we do with him?" I asked, motioning to the still-unconscious Lincoln.

Bill whipped out a gun I'd never seen before and I couldn't stop the instinctual, short scream. He almost looked amused.

"Bill," I whispered harshly, "where the hell did you get that thing?"

"It doesn't matter," he told me, disappearing into the bathroom for a moment. When he returned, he carried a cup of what I assumed was cold water.

Immediately he splashed it onto Lincoln's face, followed by a soft smack on his cheek. He slapped him again when he didn't immediately rouse. I would have stopped Bill had I not figured out we had to get out of here fast before Lincoln's associates showed up.

Slowly Lincoln woke up and I felt a smug thrill at his perplexed and scared expression.

"What the…"

"This is my _other _vampire," I said.

Bill looked over at me and I blushed. That didn't sound so good out of context.

"Anyway," I added hurriedly, "now you're going lead us to Eric. Tell us where he is."

I'd never really done anything like this before, and I didn't pretend to think myself all that intimidating, but I imagined that when faced with an angry-looking vampire holding a gun, someone would acquiesce on the spot. Not so with Lincoln. He blinked at me before eyeing Bill's cool face. Then he burst out laughing.

When he didn't stop, Bill moved closer and smacked him again. It didn't help. If anything, Lincoln's laughter grew louder and hearty. It was frightening.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with," he finally managed to say. "I admire your spunk, Sookie, but really."

I opened my mouth to say something smart back, but then the hotel door banged open. Two large men quickly shot in, one attacking Bill and the other wrapping his hands around my throat.

It happened so fast I could barely scream, but I kneed the guys privates. He couldn't help but squeal a bit and I hoped someone heard it.

Then I heard the one who was fighting Bill curse and suddenly the two men were lifting up Lincoln and pulling him out. He winked at me before they disappeared out the door entirely.

I panted heavily, trying to wrap my mind around what had just occurred. My throat ached and I was painfully tired.

I glanced over at Bill who appeared to be just fine. He walked over to me and softly grasped my chin. Slowly, gently, he moved my chin up and peered at my bruising neck. With cool fingertips, he stroked the sore flesh. I shivered at the intimate sensation, and found myself craving more. Shamed at the thought, I stepped away from Bill for the second time that day.

Wryly I thought over all that had happened since we stepped into this city. I knew I was going to have a tough time with Bill, but I had _no_ idea.

"We have to leave," he said softly, his hand running down the length of my arm.

I wanted to slap his hand away and remind him that he lost all his rights to touch me. I wanted to remind him that we had a job to do and that didn't include touching me. I wanted to say hurtful, terrible mean things and bring up our past to slap in his face. But more than anything, I wanted him to keep going.

Then I thought of Eric and remembered our fleeting time together. I remembered how ridiculously sweet he was. I thought of how I felt about him, even now.

I didn't have the time to be petty. _We_ didn't have the time. Eric was counting on me to save him, that I was sure of. I wasn't positive if it was the bond that made me yearn to rescue him, or if it was my memories of the dark nights when I was wrapped up in him and his love, but I knew I had to save him regardless.

Nodding, I stepped away and picked up my purse. "Let's go."


	4. Capture

Bill and I had no where to go. We strolled the streets. I stopped to eat somewhere; he watched passively. It was a horrible feeling, waiting to be attacked. I dreaded the thought they would try again in the daylight when I didn't have the additional support of Bill's strength.

And then it happened. Bill and I stood in the inky darkness outside a deserted alleyway, figuring this was the best place for us to be found. We stood silently. Words were useless. I could tell Bill wanted to speak- I could always tell when it came to him- but they were words that didn't matter anymore. Sometimes I'd watch him, pacing beneath the scant light, and I'd remember all I loved about him. His silence. His hair. His eyes. His voice. The weight of his arms. And then I'd remember how terribly I'd been betrayed by him, and all the good things would shatter into bits of unrecognizable pieces.

We were captured just as he seemed to work up the nerve to say something. A tall, lanky man jumped out of a black car slowly passing by and dragged me into it. They left Bill behind.

The man glared down at me as someone drove in the front seat. His hair was platinum blonde; his eyes were arctic blue. I would almost think he was related to Eric.

"This is my friend," a voice whispered from the passenger seat. It was Lincoln's. "His name is Alec. Very little provokes him. Be careful."

Suddenly I felt so angry. Angry I fell in love with Bill, angry I had this indescribable relationship with Eric, angry that I hadn't known peace in so long. I was a good person. I believed in God. I prayed all the time. I just wanted to be normal. And nothing- _nothing_- I did every made all the monsters go away. I just got sucked in, further and further, until the light was gone and all I was surrounded by was impenetrable darkness.

Alec eased off a bit and let me sit next to him. I was calm, something I knew put them on edge. I honestly didn't care anymore. What was done was done; there was nothing I could change.

Slowly we pulled up to a normal-looking building. Lincoln came around and opened my car door, grasping me by the arm. He brought me into the building quietly, ignoring the large presence of Alec behind us. We walked into a brightly-lit room. A woman with cherry red hair sat calmly at a large conference table. She smiled warmly at me as we approached.

"So this is Sookie Stackhouse!" she exclaimed.

Lincoln let go of my arm and gestured at a chair across from her. "Please sit."

With no choice, I sat. Alec went off to stand in the corner, and the red-headed woman just sat there staring and smiling.

"This is Valerie," Lincoln finally muttered.

"I'm so happy to meet you, Sookie. I've heard so much about you! I-"

"Hush," Lincoln interrupted, not unkindly. "There will time to converse socially later. Now we need to know everything you do about Fangtasia."

I snorted. "Um, I don't know if you've noticed but vampires are the most secretive... things around. They look down on me. They don't even let me know most of the vampires that work for them."

Lincoln sat next to Valerie and stared expectantly. "Surely you know _something_."

I sighed. "I only know that Eric guards that place with all he's got. And Pam would do anything for him. So would Ginger. She's been glamoured more than a few times."

Lincoln nodded like this was all old news for him. "Stand. I'll bring you to Eric."

At first I couldn't move; I didn't know if he was serious or not. But when he lifted his body I stood, too, staring at him. He walked around the table and again clasped my arm.

"See you later, Sookie," Valerie cooed.

Lincoln brought me down three flights of stairs. FInally we reached the darkest room of the building. I heard panting from the corner of the room.

"You have two minutes," Lincoln whispered in my ear. I shivered.

And then I was alone with, who I presumed to be, Eric.

It took me a second to get my bearings. I could smell rotting flesh, and from the tiny window's light I could see his body silhouetted and wrapped in silver.

"I don't have an escape plan if you're betting on me," I whispered.

Eric chuckled. "I'm not. I'm not betting on anything. It's my time."

"So you're giving up? Just like that?"

"Even if I hand Fangtasia to them with gleeful arms they will kill me."

I slumped down next to him and ignored the putrid stench. "_Shut up_."

"What?"

I could tell I startled him.

"You're going to give up your livelihood and life, just like that? What would Pam say?"

Eric was silent for a moment. "She is better off without me. She always was."

I sighed and glared into the darkness. I knew he could see me better than I could see him. Another infuriating vampiric trait. "What about_ me_? Who will come to my rescue all the time and threaten me with sexual favors?"

He genuinely laughed. He put an icy hand on my bare thigh and squeezed. "You'll get by, too. Isn't Compton still sniffing around?"

"Only because I'm not wearing a stamp around town that says his name."

Eric chuckled again. "I really hate him, you know. I tolerate him because I must, but if there weren't greater powers at be I would have extinguished him long ago."

"Shouldn't we be discussing how the hell we get you out of here?"I asked, worried and sick of talking about Bill.

"These are unusual supes we're dealing with, Sookie. They're not animals. They're not human. They're not anything. They merely exist, like spirits and demons. They don't barter, they don't compromise. They take."

I sighed and leaned my head back. "A plan, Eric. We need one."

"And do you not think they knew we'd try to devise one once you were left here? No, they're baiting us. They want us to plan. It's part of their sick, twisted game."

To hear Eric call someone sick and twisted is a trip, let me assure you.

"They're worse than faeries," I whispered to myself.

"No doubt," Eric unfortunately assured me.

"Time's up," a cheerful voice called out. Valerie.

I reluctantly stood and glanced back to where I knew Eric sat. "Be strong," I murmured.

Back upstairs Lincoln sat at the table playing solitaire. "Did your boyfriend tell you any new secrets?"

Now I was even more irritated before- irritated because I couldn't help Eric and irriated that my first thought when I saw Lincoln again was _God he's so sexy_. Could all the craziness in my life finally be getting to me?

"No, and you know he didn't."

"What I know and what I hope for are two different things." He looked up at his card game and I was once again struck by his good looks. He smirked, seeming to know my thoughts, and pointed to a seat. "I can feel the animosity radiating off of you."

"Can you blame me?"I asked, tiredly plopping down into a chair. "I'm just a waitress. Just an average girl trying to get by."

Lincoln's eyes sparked. "Ah. _Just a waitress_." He looked down at his cards. "Haven't you learned yet that the most extraordinary things happen to the ordinary? And vice versa?" He looked me up and down in a frank manner. "Besides. You're not _that _ordinary. For one you're quite attractive, even without your fairy allure. Second you are quite astute when it comes to the games vampires play. Third you can read minds. How much more extraordinary can you be?"

"I just want to be ordinary," I whispered tearfully.

"There, there," he laughed. "Tears will get you nowhere with me. I absolutely detest them. Stop."

And surprisingly I did.

He eyed me before revealing another card. "You know, Sookie... you might enjoy working for us far better than working for Eric or Bill. We're quite fair."

"You _abducted_ me."

"Don't blame us for the company you keep," he murmured, grinning over the table at me. "I mean it though. We treat our employees very fairly. We're aware of how badly we need you, therefore there's none of this ridiculous tension." He sighed and gave up on his game. "All vampires want to do is pick fights- with each other, with humans, with themselves. We merely want to go on existing as we always have, with as little change as possible. Do you follow?"

"What will you do to Eric?" I asked a few minutes later, not wanting to admit how interesting his proposal sounded.

"What do you want me to do with him?" he asked, seeming as though he genuinely wanted my opinion. He put his chin on both fists and watched me.

Finally I found the words. "I want you to release him."

"And Fangtasia?"

"Don't you have the means to start up your own supernatural place?"

He laughed and laughed. "Indeed. But going in with a partner like Eric..."

"Ah," I said. "That was it all along. You want him to go into business with you."

"If he were human or just plain supe," he explained, "we wouldn't have had to go through these shenanigans. But he's a vampire," he laughed, shrugging. "You can't go about them in the usual manner. Surely you've learned that."

"Lincoln," Valerie whispered, "it's around 4:30."

He stared at me for a moment before nodding. "Yes. Board up the vampire. Then show Sookie to her room." He looked down at his hands and then back up at me. "We'll continue our discussion tomorrow. I look forward to it."

Before I could respond, he was up and out of the room.

Valerie tended to Eric and finally came to get me. She showed me to a beautiful bedroom with a plush inviting bed. I sank into it before she even shut the door and entered a deep, deep sleep.


End file.
